Saturday, August 14, 2004
The divine feminine: Historical depictions of faithful women are influencing modern religious worship
Dan Brown's best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code" and Mel Gibson's excruciating film "The Passion of the Christ" have put a new spotlight on both Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ. Add the exploration of the "sacred feminine" embodied in these women now under discussion among female biblical scholars through the lens of ancient extrabiblical texts, and the broad-based societal anger over orchestrated priestly sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
Mix them all together, and you have an expanded discussion that began four decades ago about women's spirituality and how historical depictions of faithful women influence modern religious worship — and how both men and women are exploring the divine in new ways.
Locally, there have been a series of discussions about such issues this summer, including several sessions at the annual Sunstone Symposium devoted to the topic of feminine spirituality. Margaret Starbird, whose early books on Mary Magdalene were cited as providing fodder for "The Da Vinci Code," told scores of Sunstone participants on Thursday that Brown's book brings truth regarding the "myth of the sacred marriage" between Jesus and Mary to light.
The legend that they were married and had a child was "kept alive by an underground stream of art and artifacts in Western Europe" over the centuries, she said. Terming the supposed union "the most important secret of the Middle Ages," Starbird said the marriage represents God in the form of "male and female symbiosis" that goes beyond mere sexuality.
As concern grew over her role as "apostle to the apostles," the one that Jesus loved more than his male apostles, early church leaders set out to suppress her role and voice in Christian tradition, Starbird said.
Ancient texts discovered and translated within the past century — including the "Gnostic gospels" named after Christ's disciples including Thomas, Philip and Mary — have rekindled debate not only about Mary's relationship with Christ and her life after his death, but whether he told her information before his crucifixion that had been withheld from his apostles. Much of the book's conjecture about Mary comes from such noncanonical texts, including the "Gospel of Mary."
While many Christian traditions have struggled in the past half century with the changing role of their own female membership — and whether to ordain women — at least one major faith tradition has elevated a historic female figure to the status of near divinity.
Mary, mother of Jesus, is such a central figure in Catholic worship that she has been given the title "queen of heaven," and many consider her a "co-redeemer" with Christ in his mission to bridge the gap between God and humanity, though there has been no papal pronouncement formalizing that status. Prayer, procession, music, devotions and special Masses are devoted to her worldwide, and many of the most famous cathedrals and basilicas in the world are devoted to her special place within the faith.
Some within the church have sought to expand that focus on the "divine feminine" in recent years by sponsoring special celebrations of "the Feast of St. Mary of Magdala" during July in parishes, convents, Catholic schools, retreat houses, private homes and small faith communities. Sponsored by a group of Catholics called FutureChurch, the celebrations "make available contemporary biblical scholarship about Jesus' inclusive practice and provide a venue for Catholic women to serve in visible liturgical roles," according to a press release.
FutureChurch director Sr. Christine Schenk said the move is a way to continue lifting up women in public roles within the faith.
"A number of bishops wouldn't allow women's feet to be washed last Holy Thursday," she said. "This is especially ironic when we remember the prominent role Mary of Magdala and the other women played in accompanying Jesus through crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection while the male disciples fled to Galilee. The Mary of Magdala celebrations help heal some of the effects of such absurdity."
Some believe there was an conspiracy among early Christian hierarchy to downplay the role of women at the time of Christ, particularly Mary Magdalene, whose reputation over the centuries grew to include the inference that she had been prostitute.
Most biblical scholars now agree she was a strong leader, a close companion of Jesus and the first to witness the Resurrection. FutureChurch and other scholars of early Christian women maintain she is likely one of the most misunderstood of all of the figures in the Gospels.
Another group sponsoring working with FutureChurch to sponsor the seminars on Mary is Call to Action. Spokeswoman Linda Pieczynski said she believes "it is especially important for Catholics to celebrate this great woman of faith at a time when it is so clear that church needs the nurturing witness of women. If women and mothers had been integrated into our church's decision-making structures we would not be facing the cover-up of clergy sex abuse that we face today."
While Catholic leaders have not embraced the move among Protestant faiths in recent decades to ordain women, the centrality of and worship that includes Mary provides a female presence that is celebrated. In fact, the assumption of Mary will be celebrated by Catholics this Sunday. It marks the advent of Mary's body and soul being taken into heaven and her coronation as the queen of heaven. In some European cities, the journey is symbolized by carrying her statue through town, as huge candles are lighted in a procession and the blessing of herbs is performed.
By Carrie A. Moore
Deseret Morning News
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